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Henrik Ibsen is a writer that uses literature to channel entertainment and express himself throughout the play, A Dolls House. He wrote the play during the transition from mythical and historical dramas to plays dealing with social problems. At the time that Ibsen wrote A Dolls House, the later 1800 s, society has created a niche for the woman as a housewife and social partner, lacking emphasis on love. This controversial play features a female protagonist seeking her individuality through realizations and challenging her comfort zone.
Isben, through Nora and her personality, depicts the role of women not as the usual comforter, helper, and supporter of man, but introduced woman as having her own purposes and goals. The heroine, Nora, progresses during the course of the play eventually to realize that she must discontinue the role of a doll and seek out her individuality. Definite characteristics of womans subordinate role in a relationship are emphasized through Nora's contradicting actions. As a person, she enjoys making Torvald happy, but will not follow his guidelines. Her infatuation with luxuries like expensive Christmas gifts contradicts her resourcefulness in scrounging and buying cheap clothing. Also, her defiance of Torvald by eating forbidden Macaroons contradicts the submission of her opinions, including the decision of which dance outfit to wear, to her husband; and Nora's flirtatious nature contradicts her devotion to her husband.
This sheds light to the characteristics of a dependent woman. It seems at this time women marry for tradition, money, safety, and love. Ibsen attracts the readers attention to these examples to show the general subordinate role that a woman plays compared to that of her husband... It can be suggested that women have the power to choose which rules to follow at home, but not in the business world, thus again indicating her willingness to be subservient. Nora does not at first realize that the rules outside the household apply to her. This is evident in Nora's meeting with Krogstad regarding her borrowed money.
In her opinion it was no crime for a woman to do everything possible to save her husband's life. She also believes that her act will be overlooked because she is used to dealing with a flexible and predictable Torvald, rather than the law. She doesnt see that the law does not take into account the motivation behind her forgery. Ibsen uses Nora's traits to bluntly portray the women in society as in a position of needed change.
Her first encounter with rules outside of her "doll's house" results in the realization of her inexperience with the real world due to her subordinate role in society and Ibsen sparks the thought of change. "A Doll's House" is also a prediction of change from this subordinate roll. Ibsen foreshadows as well as promotes the change women will eventually make to progress and understand their position. She needs to be more of a role model for her children. It was seen that Nora didnt think she was fit to mother them. From this point, when Torvald is making a speech about the effects of a deceitful mother, until the final scene, Nora progressively confronts the realities of the real world and realizes her subordinate position.
From this point, progressively understanding this position, she still clings to the hope that her husband will come to her protection and defend her from the outside world once her crime is out in the open. After she reveals the "dastardly deed" to her husband, he becomes understandably agitated; in his frustration he shares the outside world with her, the ignorance of the serious business world, and destroys her innocence and self-esteem. This disillusion marks the final destructive blow to her doll's house. Their ideal home including their marriage and parenting has been a product of society. Nora's decision to leave this false life behind and discover for herself what is real is directly symbolic of woman's ultimate realization. Although she becomes aware of her supposed way of being subservient is not because of this that she has the desire to take action.
Nora is utterly confused and anxious as seen in, She is groping sadly in a maze of confused feeling toward a way of life and a destiny of which she is most uncertain (256). " The one thing she is aware of is her ignorance, and her desire to go out into the world is not to "prove herself" but to discover and educate herself. Isben wants her to strive to find her individuality. This gives her more struggles to face and over come to gain wisdom. Ibsen, through this controversial play, has an impact upon society's view of the subordinate position of women. By describing this role of woman, discussing its effects, and predicting a change in contemporary views, he stressed the importance of woman's realization of this believed inferiority. Woman should no longer be seen as the shadow of man, but a person in herself, with her own triumphs and tragedies.
The exploration of Nora reveals that she is dependant upon her husband and displays no independent standing. Her progression of understanding suggests woman's future ability to comprehend their plight. Her state of shocked awareness at the end of the play is like the awakening of society to the changing view of the role of woman. Through, "A Doll's House" Isben magnificently illustrates the need for and a prediction of this change"; " 100 "; " 900 "; " 1020097254 "; " 40865 "; " 2 "lia 1523 "; "How Were The 1920 's The Beginning Of American Culture?" ; "In the beginning of the 1920 s America was both the most powerful and the most prosperous country in the world. World War I had ended with America in a great financial position. America lost little money in the war since the fighting took place in Europe.
The 1920 s were a very prosperous time until the Crash of 1929 leading to the depression. The numerous inventions, movements, and several changes in this decade represented the beginning of modern American Culture. Although there were many new inventions already, copious appliances became available for normal households at a reasonable price and cut down greatly on workloads in the house. In a study taken in the mid 20 s, household appliances saved an average of 11 hours of work per week. Pop-up toasters were invented in 1919, the Arctic Refrigerator Company was started in the early 1920 s, and vacuums were available to those who could afford them. By the end of the 1920 s 33 % of American houses had electricity.
At this time there were already many more women leaving the homemaker business to join the American workforce. This was a period of time when women began demanding more. Womens suffrage was a large issue in the late 1910 s. In 1920 Women in the United States gained the right to vote when the 19 th amendment was passed. Many more women were also working instead of staying home as homemakers. Women also began dressing more provocatively, in shorter skirts and pants.
During this time a new term came into use, flappers. Flappers were young women who wore short skirts and dresses, cut their hair shorter, smoked cigarettes, wore cosmetics, and demanded sexual freedom. In 1921 the first Miss America Pageant took place in Atlantic City, NJ. This was one example of the entertainment that Americans were starting to enjoy. Since Americans had more free time on their hands they began enjoying activities such as going to the movies, clubs, concerts, reading books, attending sports games and undoubtedly more. Many famous musicians came into the scene, never to be forgotten.
The 1920 s was the Jazz age, and one of the most famous musicians from the Jazz Age was Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971), an amazing trumpeter, cornet player and singer. Armstrong is arguably the most famous jazz musicians of all time. Cars also became more available and less expensive than ever before. There were numerous car companies before The Great Depression, and the number of people who owned cars was increasing rapidly. At that time it seemed everyone owned a car company, yet only the major companies are still here Chrysler, Ford, General Motors. Cars represented freedom.
People could now move into the suburbs and commute into the city to work. Cars, though were not the only new mode of transportation, Airplanes also became a popular way to travel cross-national and international. The first passenger airplanes took place in 1914. By the 1920 's governments started to form national airlines through combining a few private airlines. One such case is the British government who formed Imperial Airways.
This was the mark of the beginning of globalization. The 1920 s were a time of invention and innovation. It was a prosperous time during which many people came to America for new opportunity in a New World. Movies and music became a commonplace American pastime as the workload in the house decreased. Cars and Airplanes became more and more common. In short the Twenties were the foundation for our society today.
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Research essay sample on Subordinate Role Subordinate Position
